Everyone, everywhere, all at once.

That is the quality of attention that the climate crisis requires.
It demands a groundswell of engaged citizens calling for change and indeed, participating in their own daily behavioural change.

How do we energise this groundswell?

We leverage the oldest & most effective human form of knowledge transfer – storytelling in community .

All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) is India’s premiere showcase of today’s climate stories.
Through  global online streaming & in-person community screenings, our audience witnesses untold stories of regeneration, activism, crisis and hope.

OUR VISION

All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF) catalyses widespread transformative climate action in India. 

OUR MISSION

Through the emotive power of cinema, ALT EFF increases climate awareness at scale. We curate impact storytelling and experiential learning that is accessible, relevant and inspires awareness into action.

OUR TEAM

KUNAL KHANNA

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER

Born into the mad hum in Mumbai, raised amongst the monkeys and mountains of Panchgani, and made independent in an adulthood in Australia; Kunal has returned back to his roots running a permaculture farm and developing ALT EFF to become a catalyst for environmental change in India. While he started his career as an economist, and founded a food truck serving the festival circuit in Melbourne; his true passion lies in systems thinking and using that to enable paradigm shifts which he did while working as the Innovations Lead at the City of Melbourne.

LAURA KHANNA

FESTIVAL PRODUCER & CO-FOUNDER

Laura Christie Khanna is owner of The Odd Gumnut Permaculture Farm & Rise Up Kombucha, India’s only zero-waste kombucha brand. She’s a food sovereignty advocate, permaculture teacher and thought-leader in regenerative lifestyle, teaching workshops on chemical free living, natural farming and fermentation to thousands of folks in person and online.

@theoddgumnut @laurachristiekhanna

NEHA SHRESTHA

CREATIVE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER

Neha is creatively curious and finds inspiration in nature. Her longing for creative experimentation and exploration led her to study design at Srishti (Bangalore), where she specialised in film making and her work was curated under the “Labour in a single shot” project by filmmaker Harun Farocki. 
After an Assistant Director stint with Amol Gupte, she conceptualised ‘Tribling’ - a brand of wearable art jewellery, inspired by raw nature. She is Co-Founder of Network of Creative Thinkers, a design agency in the hills of Panchgani with a virtual workplace in cloud that crafts creative solutions.

RUDRANSH MATHUR

EXPERIENCE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER

Brought up in the hill station of Panchgani, Rudransh’s interest in nature and wildlife was sparked right from his childhood when he won the CMS Vatavaran Golden Tree award for his film “Birds Through my Window” at the age of 13. 
An adventure enthusiast, he has spent the past 4 years  mapping out the hidden forest trails of Mahabaleshwar on his mountain bike. 
Rudransh is also a co-founder of Network of Creative Thinkers, a design agency that uses creative thinking to solve problems for clients spread across the globe.

RIMSHA MINOCHA

FESTIVAL PROGRAMMER

Rimsha Minocha is a Mumbai-based documentary filmmaker and an (accidental) film curator focused on stories on community building, environment, and conservation. Between 2022–2023 in Canada, she created two short documentaries exploring the experiences of immigrant South Asian and Jewish communities finding belonging through films and voice. She is currently developing stories in India that delve into the lives of indigenous communities, and their relationship with their land & wildlife. Through her film curations, she also works to build inclusive & safe community screening spaces that foster conversations, connections, and meaningful engagement between filmmakers, their participants and the audiences.

RISHI CHARAN

WEBSITE AND VIRTUAL FESTIVAL DESIGN

Armed with a Telecommunications degree from the University of Maryland, Rishi once navigated the complexities of sattelite communication and computer networks. But destiny had other plans, guiding him to the serene hills of Panchgani, where he discovered his true calling: the vibrant world of UX design. Now, as a designer by choice, he uses his analytical skills and creative flair to turn ideas into user-centered designs.
When he's not designing, he's obsessing over sunflowers and sweaters, having existential crisis at all times and trying to manifest a winter wonderland life. Picture an anxious hypochondriac goofball who constantly feels like the main character of an imaginary movie.

ATHARVA B

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Weaving stories through different mediums, Atharva likes synthesizing illustrated worlds that are teeming with life, culture and experimental forms. His world building traverses the boundaries of illustrated visuals, flowing seamlessly into design systems and branding projects. Cross pollinating his craft with different mediums like sound design, graffiti and motion design, he thrives on experimentation and resists being confined to a singular method. When he's not wizarding at design, he feels most at home in the Himalayas, pursuing alpine-style treks, mountaineering, and diving headfirst into every adventure he can find.

ISHA TOMAR

PROGRAMMING LEAD

Isha is a film studies researcher who received her master's in Media and Cultural Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. Prior to that, she did her bachelor’s in Economics from Symbiosis School of Economics, Pune. Born and brought up in Kolkata, Isha believes in the power of the visual medium and has been enchanted by it since she was a kid. She is a strong advocate of climate change activism and sustainable living. During her free time, she loves to read, go for walks, and explore the world of cinema.

BHAGYASHREE P.

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Bhagyashree moves through worlds of research, communication, community, and art. A liberal arts graduate with a major in Economics, she started in research before shifting toward culture, community and communications. In Udaipur, she managed an experimental arts café called Jajam, where she naturally stepped into the role of building community—both in person and online. From there, she worked with Art and Charlie, an art gallery in Mumbai, shaping how the world saw its artists.
Now, she is the voice behind ALT EFF’s words. She keeps the tone playful but makes sure every line hits where it should. In her spare time, she vanishes into five-hour art history podcasts and insists—loudly—that everyone else must suffer (or enjoy) them too. She even made us share one. It’s called Art Holes.

SALONI ADESHRA

EVENTS AND COMMUNITY LEAD

From managing stages at Jodhpur RIFF to leading artist hospitality at several arts and music festivals like BLR Hubba — Saloni has always been the person making sure the show goes on. But flip to the other side of the stage, and you'll find her just as comfortably performing at Lollapalooza, receiving a grant from the Goethe Institut, or designing movement modules at NID Ahmedabad. An arts manager and an artist who firmly believes in the power of the arts to drive real change, she brings that same conviction to ALT EFF, channelling her production instincts, community-building and deep love for the arts into creating spaces at the intersection of film, the environment, and the people who care about both.

KRUTARTH K. KARANJKAR

EVENT COORDINATOR

A performer at heart, Krutarth now finds his stage behind the scenes — ensuring every screening runs with heart and flair. With a background in theatre and film, he brings equal parts discipline, drama, and heart to his work. As an Event Coordinator at ALT EFF, he brings people and stories together with creativity, care, and a love for making things click. When he’s not at work, you’ll find him binging films and shows, dancing (something he’s done since he could walk), or cooking up something delicious , a skill he once even practiced professionally.

SHRADDHA SINGH

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN

Visual designer by day and a curious soul by default, she treats life like one big experiment. Having hopped across different corners of the country, diverse cultures and odd details never escape her. All this beauty, she hopes to reflect in her illustrations. She’s likely somewhere random right now, collecting moments in her archaic digicam.

OUR VOLUNTEERS

  • Theres Thomas

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Theres works as a Research Assistant at the Asia Society Policy Institute, focusing on the Indian Carbon Market. She also has experience in generating evidence and estimating the employment potential of climate action through Nature-based Solutions such as seaweed cultivation, mangrove restoration, eco-tourism, etc. Outside of work, she enjoys watching world cinema, trying new cuisines, and swimming. She is an avid coffee drinker who recently discovered that she is lactose intolerant after all.

  • Sachin

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Sachin is a researcher and a cinephile. Currently doing his PhD in Cinema Studies from the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. His research area lies at the intersection of cinema, media, elemental ecology, and space(s). He understands cinema as a sensorial media which can (un)form perceptions and habitats in long durations. He writes occasionally for online magazines and also works at an archival and research center of Indian Cinema. In his free time you can find him at eateries of Delhi or glued to his screen watching films

  • Prakhar Patidar

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Prakhar is a film scholar-practitioner in training, exploring everything cinema from craft to criticism in preparation for research in cinema and culture as an incoming doctoral candidate in the UK. These endeavours include being a director’s assistant at Fazeli Films, a research associate (Visibilising the Role of Women in Cinema | IFA), a co-founder and regular contributor to Cut, and Print! newsletter, a creator of an independent world cinema podcast called Around the World in 8mm, working with film festivals and pondering about that book she’ll write one day! Her work has been shortlisted for the Rama Mehta Writing Grant (2022 and 2023), Rashid Irani Young Critic’s Lab (Jio MAMI 2023) and Curation Workshop, ARCUREA, SRFTI (2024).

    If you’re curious about more, find it here: https://linktr.ee/prakhar_does_things

  • Bhavesh Prasad

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    When it comes to thinking, he grew up habituating himself to think in film as a language. Apart from the emotional rush of thinking, his brains cannot unwrap anything but treatment styles and typecast choices of filmmakers. But don't mistake him for a film-buff. He's a mise-en-scène buff, who enjoys times he practices visual dramaturgy. Yet, when the dread of reality sets in, he assisted directors, sound designers, editors, producers and even colourists, prior to 2021. These days he's taken to writing, scripts & things unexplored.

  • Atharva Gaiki

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    With over 8 years of experience in the world of video editing, Atharva Gaiki brings stories to life with precision, creativity, and a deep understanding of visual storytelling. From fast-paced campaigns to emotionally-driven documentaries, Atharva has collaborated with top-tier clients like BMW, Ducati, Netflix, and Hotstar.

    He has edited more than 12 documentaries, each crafted with a keen eye for narrative flow and cinematic impact. Whether it's branded content or long-form storytelling, Atharva's work reflects a commitment to quality and a passion for visual excellence.

  • Neeti Hardas

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Neeti is a curious storyteller with a soft spot for slow art, sharp writing, and everything that sits at the intersection of creativity, research, and impact. With a background in Media, Psychology, and Literature, she tries to bring a thoughtful, layered lens to the world around her—whether she’s helping with a campaign or losing track of time in a rabbit hole of green energy, transport, and impact art

    She’s passionate about having long conversations about ideas that matter, and believes the best conversations often start with “I disagree, but let's look at this way…”

    You’ll most likely find her petting a dog mid-sentence or offering random trivia about public transport.

  • Kartik Gokhale

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Kartik, a Forestry Honors Graduate, based out of Lucknow, is an avid Wildlife Enthusiast, aspiring to work in the field of Conservation Sciences. He is particularly interested in the Social, Economic, Legal and Ecological aspects revolving around conservation, focusing on Human-Wildlife Interactions, and Community Driven projects for a sustainable and fruitful co-existence. He wishes to explore the multidisciplinary approach, involving science, art, polity and economy to propagate awareness, sensitivity and action towards Environment and Nature Conservation.

  • Rajat Rawat

    PROGRAMMING VOLUNTEER

    Rajat is a business graduate turned social worker with on-ground experience in education. Their research interest lies in sociologies of digital communities and communication revolutions. Rajat has a passion for making music and art mediation, and loves to try out all sorts of things. 

    Still figuring out the trajectory of their career, they like to see travel through the pedagogy of learning and unlearning. Previously, having worked in marketing and consulting, they currently avoid corporate pursuits and financial stability.

  • Subodh Uniyal

    SOCIAL MEDIA VOLUNTEER

    Brought up in the hills of Dehradun, Subodh is currently based in Delhi and working with brands, helping them with creative media production.
    Being an adventure enthusiast, Subodh has a keen interest for travelling & cycling in the mountains. He finds himself sketching, exploring and unfolding nature in his free time. Fueled by a deep passion for the environment and the fight against climate change, he found his calling with ALT EFF.